Daily Brexit Update – 6 March 2018

The EU’s proposals to solve the Brexit Irish border issue are not “fair” and actually backtrack on what was agreed with the UK in December, the DUP have told the bloc’s chief negotiator in a face-to-face meeting in Brussels. Senior figures from the Northern Irish unionist party including leader Arlene Foster met with Michel Barnier on Tuesday to raise their concerns about the Brexit process, following his meeting with Sinn Fein on Monday. Speaking at a news conference following the meeting Ms Foster said that she had told Mr Barnier that “the draft EU legal text was not a faithful or indeed fair legal interpretation of the joint report from December”. (Independent)

The most recently retired British ambassador to the United States has described the prospect of a “generous” free trade deal with Donald Trump after Brexit as an “illusion”. Sir Peter Westmacott said he believed Brexit was bad for the country and was also damaging the nation’s standing globally because it was absorbing so much political and diplomatic attention. “Are we going to have an easy free trade agreement with America, I find it hard to see how it [Brexit] is going to be better than what we have at the moment,” said Westmacott, who served in Washington throughout the Obama period between 2007 and 2011. He was speaking amid the growing threat of a transatlantic trade war with the EU over Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium as well as European car imports. (The Guardian)

The High Court has refused to allow campaigners to bring a legal challenge about the government’s decision not to publish “secret” Brexit documents which give details of the likely economic impact of Britain leaving the EU. Molly Scott Cato, a member of the European Parliament, and Jo Maugham, a barrister, on Tuesday lost their attempt to bring a judicial review challenge centring on the government’s refusal to release a raft of Brexit-related documents to the public. The Brexit papers include studies looking at the impact of EU withdrawal on 58 sectors of the economy. The documents also include a Treasury report comparing the predicted economic impact of Brexit with the economic benefits of alternative free trade agreements. (Financial Times)

A cross-party group of British MEPs has warned Boris Johnson that he and other Brexiteers risk undermining negotiations with the EU and ruining Britain’s image abroad with their repeated use of violent war imagery when talking about Brexit. The Foreign Secretary has been sent a letter, seen by The Independent, from 20 British MEPs in six different parties, including Mr Johnson’s own. They argue that the casual use of the language of “war and conflict” to describe talks with the UK’s allies is “dangerous”, undermines negotiations and does “not promote an image of a deep and special relationship, but a hostile one”. Criticising “the language used by many senior politicians and much of the press”, the MEPs single out “terms such as ‘war cabinet’, ‘punishment’, ‘demands’, ‘blackmail’ and similar” – some of which have been used by the Foreign Secretary himself. (Independent)

Jessica's practice focuses on international trade and anti-bribery work, encompassing customs, export control and sanctions matters.
Jessica's trade work includes advising international clients on fast-moving and evolving EU and UN sanctions, notably in respect of Iran and Russia, and on compliance with UK and EU export controls.
Her trade experience also includes advising on tariff classification and customs valuations.
Jessica's anti-bribery experience includes assisting with investigations, and advising clients on compliance with anti-bribery laws.
Jessica has also taken a lead role in monitoring Brexit-related developments; analysing how they will affect the UK's trading position generally, and clients' businesses specifically. She has helped clients begin to conduct risk assessments of how Brexit will impact their businesses, and has assisted them in developing tailored Brexit strategies. Jessica also presents at various seminars, webinars, and conferences on the complexities of Brexit.
Jessica advises global clients on complex issues arising from international transactions and works with clients across a number of sectors including pharmaceuticals, defence, finance, aviation, energy, and telecommunications.
Jessica has also worked previously in Paris, and is fluent in French.

About Jessica Mutton

Jessica's practice focuses on international trade and anti-bribery work, encompassing customs, export control and sanctions matters.
Jessica's trade work includes advising international clients on fast-moving and evolving EU and UN sanctions, notably in respect of Iran and Russia, and on compliance with UK and EU export controls.

Her trade experience also includes advising on tariff classification and customs valuations.

Jessica's anti-bribery experience includes assisting with investigations, and advising clients on compliance with anti-bribery laws.

Jessica has also taken a lead role in monitoring Brexit-related developments; analysing how they will affect the UK's trading position generally, and clients' businesses specifically. She has helped clients begin to conduct risk assessments of how Brexit will impact their businesses, and has assisted them in developing tailored Brexit strategies. Jessica also presents at various seminars, webinars, and conferences on the complexities of Brexit.

Jessica advises global clients on complex issues arising from international transactions and works with clients across a number of sectors including pharmaceuticals, defence, finance, aviation, energy, and telecommunications.